Can orienting apparatus



y 24, 1960 J. ALBERTOLI ET AL CAN ORIENTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1957 INVENTORS JOHN ALBERTOL/ G/LBERT P ALBERTOL/ MQ W ATTORNEYS y 24, 1960 J. ALBERTOLI ETAL 2,937,738

CAN ORIENTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOHN ALBERT OL/ G/LBERT ALBE/WOL/ ATTORNEYS y 1960 J. ALBERTOLI ET AL 2,937,738

CAN ORIENTING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 18, 1957 INVENTORS JOHN ALBERTOL/ G/LBE/PT F. AL BE/PTOL/ B W w United States Patent '6) CAN ORIENTING APPARATUS John Albertoli, 1050 Francisco St., and Gilbert P. Albertoli, 3050 Franklin St., both of San Francisco, Calif.

Filed Nov. 18, 1957, Serial No. 697,121

4 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) This invention relates to apparatus for orienting cans, and more particularly to apparatus for rearranging empty cylindrical cans from a haphazardly arranged pile into orderly lines with all the cans in such lines disposed in the same predetermined orientation.

Tin cans and similar metallic containers are usually manufactured with only one end closed and the other open. They are then transported from their place of manufacture, along with closure members or ends, to a food processing plant or the like where they are to be filled.

Most automatic can filling machinery requires that the open ended cans be presented to it in a predetermined manner and all oriented the same way. However, the cans may be transported to the processing plant in packages in which they are neatly or haphazardly arranged. In either event, the process of neatly arranging the cans in an orderly manner by hand for filling is both time consuming and expensive.

It is therefore a main object of this invention to provide apparatus for receiving a pile of haphazardly arranged empty, cylindrical cans and delivering them in a neat, orderly, predetermined orientation.

Another object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for orienting cylindrical cans, which apparatus is inexpensive and requires a minimum of floor space for installation and operation.

It is still another object of this invention to provide apparatus for orienting cylindrical cans having one end closed and one end open in orderly rows with the open ends all directed the same way.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide means for unscrambling from a haphazard pile cylindrical cans of the type in which the height is greater than the diameter.

A further object of this invention is the provision, in

Patented May 24, 1960 line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along I line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged end elevational view of the can elevating and orienting apparatus at the right-hand end i of Fig. l;

can orienting apparatus, of means for preventing cans of the type in which the height is greater than the diameter from being conveyed in an upright position.

A still further object of this invention is the provision for means for converting a line of cans of the type having a greater height than diameter from an end to end relationship to side by side rolling relationship.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide can orienting apparatus which is relatively rapid in operation and yet orients cans in a predetermined manner without submitting them to undue injury.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with Fig. 8 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the can orienting apparatus as seen from line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and,

Fig. 9 is a partial sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 2. a

In detail, referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the movement of the cans through the apparatus of this invention is generally from a left to right, following the dot-dash line with arrows in Fig. l, and this direction will hereinafter be referred to as a forward direction.

The cans 1 to be oriented by this apparatus are of the type having a greater height than diameter with a bottom on one end and an open opposite end. They are received in a bin 2 at the rear or starting end of the apparatus in a haphazardly arranged pile,'as by being dumped into said bin. Bin 2 comprises a pairof side walls 3, 4, a rear wall 5, and an open forward end 6. A slantingly disposed conveyor belt 7 extends between side walls 3 and 4 from rear wall 5 to open end 6 and the upper run 8 of said belt forms the bottom wall of bin 2.

Belt 7 is mounted on a pair of pulleys 9, 10 rotatably driven in the direction of arrows 11 so that upper run 8 moves in the direction of arrow 12 up a relatively steep slope and forwardly through the open end 6 of bin 2. Mounted directly under upper run 8 of belt 7 are a plurality of permanent magnets 13 which attract the cans 1 adjacent said upper run to the same so that they Will be conveyed out of open end 6. The strength of magnets 13 is such that it attracts only a single layer of cans actually touching the conveyor belt to the upper run 8 of the belt and therefore the rest of'the pile of cans remain in bin 2 as this single layer is conveyed by belt 7 out of said bin. The steep slope of belt 7 also assists in preventing any cans other than those in contact with upper run 8 from being conveyed by said belt.

Forwardly of the discharge end 6 of bin 2 a plurality of generally vertical plates 16, extending in a forwardly direction, are spaced transversely of belt 7 so as to provide a plurality of lanes 17 (Fig. 3). The spacing between each of the plates 16 which form the side walls of lane 17 is slightly greater than the diameter of the cans 1 but is less than their height. Cylindrical cans 1 are of the type having a height or length greater than their diameter and therefore said cans may enter the lanes 17 only in a position with their longitudinal axes generally parallel to the plates 16.

To assure the correct orientation of the cans 1 so that they will enter lanes 17 in this manner, a plurality of belts 18 (Figs. 1, 3, 4) are mounted adjacent .the upper edges of plates 16 to receive the cans discharged through open end 6 of bin 2.

The spacing between adjacent upper runs 22 of belts 18 is approximately the same as the width of each lane 17. In effect, upper runs 22 form moving borders along the upper edges of the plates 16 that form the side walls of lanes 17. Each belt 18 is formed from a plurality of relatively short, overlapping elements 23, the overlapping portions of which form a plurality of lugs projecting from the belt surface. Should a can 1 become positioned crosswise, supported by a pair of upper runs 22, it will be agitated by said overlapping sections 23 until it assumes the aligned position shown by the dot-dash line 24 in Fig. 4 in which it will pass between belts 18 into one of the lanes 17.

A fixed transfer plate 25 is provided extending between enemas the discharge end of conveyor belt 7 and the upper run 22 of belts 18 so as to assure movement of the cans from the open end 6 of bin 2 to belts 18. Portions of plate 25 also extend between plates 16 to provide rear end walls for lanes 17. A stationary plate 26 (Fig. l) prevents the cans from being carried beyond the ends of the upper runs 22 of belts 18.

Extending along each lane 17 at aposition spaced below each belt 18 is a similar, generally horizontally extending belt 30 (Fig. 1). Each belt 30 is mounted on a pair of pulleys 31, 32 driven in the direction of arrow 33. The upper run 34 of each belt 30 is centrally positioned between a pair of plates 16 so as to form the bottom of a lane 17 moving in a forwardly direction denoted by arrow 35. The cans falling between belts 18 into lanes 17 are thereby conveyedv forwardly through said lanes by the. upper run 34 of belt 30. Belts 30 may be of any suitable construction including that of the overlapping elements similar to belts 18.

The cans 1 are conveyed along lanes 17 and deposited in a downwardly inclined chute 36 (Figs. 1, 3, Chute 36 is provided with a pair of downwardly converging side walls 37, 38 (Fig. 5) adjoining a bottom wall 39. It will be noted that the upper edges of side walls 37, 38 are spaced apart a distance greater than, the can diameter and said side walls converge to bottom wall 39 where they are spaces less than the diameter of the can 1. Any upstanding can (Fig. 5.) will be engaged at its periphery on the slanting walls 37, 38 spaced above bottom wall 39. A can so deposited in chute 36 is of course very unstable, being supported at only two points on the periphery of one its ends, and its forward motion will cause it to fall to the stable position shown by dot-dash line 40 in Fig. 5 with its peripheral side wall resting on the chute 36. Succeeding cans may also help to knock any upstanding cans to this stable position.

The chute 36 is downwardly inclined forwardly from the end of belt 30 so as to further unbalance any upstanding cans to tend to move the same to a lying down position and to convey the cans through said chute. A knock down wheel 41 (Fig. 1), mounted for rotation in the direction of arrow 42, may be provided above chute 36 for assuring that no more than a single can at a time, either upstanding or horizontal, moves down said chute.

A conveyor 43 extends, from the lower end of each chute 36 to receive the cans therefrom and transport them in a generally forwardly direction. Said conveyor 43 may beof any suitable construction, such as conventional roller chain mounted on sprockets 45, 46, and its upper run 44 is driven in a forwardly direction along lane- 17 between plates 16 (Fig. 6).

Extending along the upper run 44 of each conveyor 43 is a V-shaped trough 47 similar in construction and function'to chute 36. The opposed side walls 48, 49 have their upper edges spaced wider than the can diameter and converge downwardly towards upper run 44 to a spacing, at a point less than the can radius above said upper run, substantially equal to the diameter of said can. It will be seen from Fig. 6 that should a can 50 become momentarily vertically disposed as a result of toppling from chute 36, it will be supported by the side walls 48, 49 in a very unstable position spaced upwardly from upper run 44 of conveyor 43. The forward motion of such a can will unbalance it causing it to fall to a generally horizontal position in which it will engage upper run 44 and will be moved forwardly along lane 17 to strike any other such upright cans and knock them to the same horizontal position.

In effect, the converging side walls 48, 49 of chute 47 constitute support members for supporting upright cans above and out of engagement with conveyor 43 while permitting generally horizontal cans to be engaged and moved by said conveyor. The end result of both chute 36 and trough 47 is to assure that conveyor 43 delivers all'the cans to its forward end with their axes in a general horizontal position. In other words, cans 1 all arrive at sprocket 46 (Fig. l) in an end-to-end aligned relationship, which is essential to their correct engagement by the following apparatus.

It is then desired to move said cans from the forward end of conveyor 43 to a transversely extending belt 54 (Figs. 1, 7) in a side-by-side rolling relationship. Belt 54 extends across in front of the discharge ends of the plurality of conveyors 43 and is mounted on a pair of pulleys 55, 56 driven so as to move the upper run of belt 54 in the direction of arrow 57 (Fig. 7).

An attempt to deliver the cans in end-to-end relationship directly from conveyor 43 to belt 44 would obviously result in substantial jumbling and disorientation of the cans. Movement of belt 54 in the direction transversely of conveyor 43 would tend to cock the cans by moving the forward ends of the cans ahead of the rear ends in the direction of travel of belt 54. It is also obvious that permitting the cans to drop off the ends of conveyor 43 onto belt 54' would not orient the cans in sideby-side rolling relationship on belt 54 as desired.

Therefore, a transfer means, generally designated 57 (Figs. 1, 2, 3) is interposed between each conveyor 43 and belt 54. Each transfer means 57 is in the form of an arcuate conveyor comprising a pair of vertically extending parallel wheels 58 supported for rotation on a horizontal shaft 59 and extending generally in alignment with conveyor 43. The wheels 58 of each pairarc spaced apart slightly less than the diameter of the cans 1 (Fig. 9) and are equally spaced on opposite sides of conveyor 43 for receiving cans 1 from said conveyor and trans ferring them to belt 54. Wheels 58 are secured to shaft 59' which is driven in the direction of arrow 60 (Fig. 1).

The upper portions of the peripheries of wheels 53 preferably project slightly above the level of the upper run 44 of conveyor 43 (Fig. 2) so as to just lift the forward end of the cans delivered thereto by conveyor 43. Further movement. of wheels 58 carries the cans 1 in an arcuate path described by arrows 61 (Figs. 1, 2) and at the same time tips or tilts said cans from the generally horizontal position, as delivered by conveyor 43, toward an upright or vertical position as indicated by the dot dash line 62 in Fig. 2.

A stationary support member 63 is positioned at a point adjacent the periphery of wheels 58 remote from c011- veyor 43 to be engaged by the lower end of the cans approaching the vertical position 62. It will be noted from Fig. 2 that member 63 engages the lower end of the can at a point adjacent its outer periphery thereby supporting the can inv an unbalanced condition. In being tipped from its generally horizontal position toward the vertical position by wheels 58 the can has sufficient forward momentum which, combined with this unbalanced support, is suflicient to tilt the can past the vertical in the direction of arrow 64' (Fig. 4).

While one end of the can is supported in an off-balanced position by member 63 the can tips from the position 62, past the vertical, to successive positions 65, 66 and hence to a horizontal orientation reversed end for end from the position in which it was delivered by conveyor 43. In this horizontal position the can then drops on to belt 44. As soon as the can has tipped to the nearly horizontal position 56 it drops off the support member 63 and is released for a direct fall to belt 54.

It is obvious that means other than those specifically described may be used for converting the line of cans from an end-to-end relationship to side-by-side rolling relationship. The primary requirement of such transfer means is that it be capable of tilting the can from a generally horizontal position toward a vertical position and then supporting said can in an unbalanced condition to permit the can to continue its tilting path past the vertical to a horizontal position. In effect, the can is caused'to somersault by means of this invention so as to be delivered to belt 54 dropping downwardly in the direction of arrow 67 (Fig. 2) in a horizontal condition ter cannot become cocked or angled with respect to the direction of movement of belt 54.

Horizontal conveyor belt 54 delivers the cans 1 to a can elevator 70 (Fig. 7) which, by means of a vertical belt 71 engages the peripheries of the cans and rolls them up vertical wall 72. The cans 1 at the discharge end of belt 54 are engaged by the belt 71 and rolled along a fixed arc 73, up wall 72, and around an are 74 extending over the upper end of belt 71. Said belt is maintained in frictional engagement with the periphery of the cans during their ascent by plurality of spring means 75.

Extending back over horizontal conveyor 54 from the upper end of elevator 70 are a pair of inclined chutes 76, 77. These chutes are each provided with a bottom wall 78 and opposed side walls for receiving the cans in side by side rolling relationship from the upper end of elevator 70. The cans are discharged from the upper end of said elevator into a space 79 (Fig. 7) in which they are automatically divided, roughly half and half, between the upper chute 76 and lower chute 77.

When delivered to space 76 at the top of elevator 70 the cans 1 are all oriented in side-by-side rolling relationship, but the open ends thereof are still indiscriminately directed. The remaining apparatus to be described is for the purpose of orienting said cans with the closed ends all directed in the same manner. For practical purposes the output of the apparatus heretofore described may be such as to require the division of said output of cans to be divided into the two chutes 76, 77. These chutes are inclined so as to deliver the cans by gravity to a pair of similar can orienting devices, generally designated 80, 81 (Fig. 7). It will be understood that the construction and function of both devices 80, 81 are the same, and that therefore the description, which will be limited to device 80, is equally applicable to device 81.

Spaced above the discharge ends of each chute 76, 77 is a can speed control device comprising a pair of rubber tired wheels 82 (Fig. 8) mounted on a shaft '83 for relatively rapid rotation in the direction of arrow 84. An arcuate support member 85 formed to an are about shaft 83 as a center, is positioned below said wheels at a spacing between the periphery of said wheels and said arcuate member substantially equal to the diameter of the cans 1. Each member 85 is supported at each end by transversely extending rods 86 which are connected by tension springs 87 to the frame 88 at points between member 85 and shaft 83. In this manner, arcuate members 85 are yieldably urged toward the peripheries of wheels 82 The cans 1 roll down the chutes 76, 77 onto the arcuate members 85 where the cans are yieldably urged against the peripheries of wheels 82. The direction of rotation of the wheels 82 is such that they impart a relatively rapid controlled, rolling motion to the cans 1 to thereby eject the same from the chutes 76, 77 into the orienting devices 80, 81.

It has been found that thecapacity of orienting devices of the type herein described can be substantially increased through the use of the aforementioned can speed controlling device. Were gravity alone relied upon to deliver the cans to devices 80, 81, some cans would move faster or slower than others as a result of different friction factors, as one can engaging another or the sides of chutes 76, 77, or some cans being out of round or the like. This would cause cans to pile up and become jumbled in the orienting device or require that the cans be fed to theorienting device at a reduced rate.

The wheels 82 and arcuate members 85 of this invention separate each can from the succeeding one and deliver each can to the orienting device or 81 at a predetermined speed so as to utilize the maximum capacity of the orienting device.

Orienting device 80 comprises a central support bar 89 (Figs. 7, 8) which extends at a gentle downward slope away from arcuate member 85. Bar 89 is provided with an upwardly directed edge positioned centrally of chute 76 to receive the rolling cans from are and to support said cans on their peripheries generally centrally between the ends of the cans. Since the closed end of the can is heavier than its open end said closed or bottom end will tend to unbalance the can as it rolls down bar 89 so that said can will topple with its bottom end down.

Supported at opposite sides of bar 89 area pair of end support members 90, 91 which extend from a position at a higher level than the initial end of bar 89, generally opposite the ends of the cans, in a downwardly curving path to a level substantially below bar 89 (Fig. 7). The oppositely inwardly directed edges 92, 93 of members 90, 91 are spaced apart at their initial ends by a distance slightly greater than the length of the cans and said edges converge from said initial ends toward their lower ends. An edge support member or bottom wall 94 extends generally in continuation of are 85 and from the initial end of bar 89 curves downwardly to merge with the lower ends of support members 90, 91.

As the cans are delivered at a relatively rapid rolling rate from wheels 82 and are 85 to bottom wall 94 said cans are centrally supported for rolling on bar 89. The unbalancing effect of the heavier bottom end of each of the cans tends to tilt the can so that said bottom end engages the adjacent support member or 91. In this position, the periphery of the bottom end of the can will be in rolling engagement with bottom wall 94.

As the can progressively rolls along member 89 the applicable converging edge 92 or 93 progressively guides the bottom end of the can inwardly toward central bar 89. At the same time, since members 90, 91 are sloping downwardly at an increasing rate, the bottom ends of the cans are being progressively lowered with respect to the upper portions of the cans which are supported on bar 89. In this manner the can which is originally oriented with its axis extending between edges 92, 93 and its bottom end engaging one of said edges is progres'sively tilted to a position with the axis of said can extending generally normal to said edge of member 90 or 91 and its bottom end engaging the surface of the applicable member 90 or 91.

In effect, the edges 92, 93 of members 90, 91 act as guide means progressively turning and tilting the cans from a side-by-side rolling position into a pair of lines of cans having their open ends all projecting in the same direction. The heavier bottom end of the can may be described, in this progressive movement through device 80, as rolling up over the applicable edge 92 or 93 and onto the surface of the corresponding member 90, 91.

The cans thus correctly oriented with their open ends all in the same direction are deposited from members 90,91 into a pair of vertical chutes which are provided with suitable side bars 95, 96 an end wall 97, and a divider 98 for confining the cans into two vertical'lines in side-to-side relationship. The discharge end 99 com municating with both such vertical chutes thereby discharges cans in side-by-side rolling relationship with the open end of said cans all extending in the same direction.

It will be noted that a substantial saving in floor space is accomplished by positioning the can orienting devices 80, 81 over the horizontal belt 54 at the forward end of the apparatus of Fig. 1 and by conveying the'cans to said orienting devices by elevator 70. The apparatus of enemas Fig. 1 need only be long enough to assure that all the cans discharged from conveyor 43 are in end-to-end relationship. The overall width of the apparatus is, of course, primarily determined by the required output. Any number of lanes 17 may be incorporated into the apparatus of this invention consistent with the amount of floor space required for the apparatus and the desired number of cans to be oriented.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail it is obvious that modifications could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims:

We claim:

1. Apparatus for orienting empty cylindrical cans having one closed end, of the type in which the height is greater than the diameter, from a haphazardly arranged pile of such cans, comprising: a bin for receiving said pile of cans and having a discharge end, an inclined conveyor forming the bottom of said bin and driven for movement in an upward and forward direction toward said discharge end, means associated with said conveyor for carrying only a single layer of said cans from said pile with said conveyor out of said discharge end, a plurality of horizontally spaced vertical walls forming lanes in side-by-side relationship extending forwardly from a point below said discharge end for receiving cans therefrom, the width of each said lane being only slightly greater than the diameter of said cans and less than the height thereof, elements mounted for forward movement along the upper borders of each lane for agitating said cans whereby said cans will fall between said elements and into said lanes, forwardly moving conveyor means extending along the bottom of each of said lanes, means extending on opposite sides of each of said conveyor means for supporting vertically upstanding cans at op posed peripheral points on one end only and out of engagement with said conveyor means, means receiving said cans from said conveyor means for orienting said cans in side-by-side rolling relationship, and means for supporting said cans for rolling at points about centrally between their ends with said ends unsupported, whereby said cans will topple to positions with their closed ends all directed generally in the same direction.

2. In apparatus for orienting cylindrical cans of the type having a greater length than diameter, a bottom on one end and an open opposite end, means for sorting a line of rolling cans into groups having the open ends all directed the same way, comprising: a narrow central support bar slanting downwardly gently from its initial end for supporting said cans for rolling on their peripheries generally centrally between their ends, a pair of end support members on opposite sides of said bar and spaced above the level of said bar at said initial end and extending at a greater slope to lower ends at a level be low said bar, the opposed inwardly directed edges of said members being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of said cans at said initial end and converging together toward said lower ends, and an edge supporting element merging with said bar at one end and slanting downwardly into convergence with said end support members, whereby the heavier bottom ends of each of the cans rolling on said central bar will be supported on said edge of one of said members and progressively guided thereby from a position with the axis of the can extending generally between said edges to a position with said axis normal to said edge, and means at said initial end of said bar for imparting a rolling movement at a predetermined rate of rotation to said cans.

3. In apparatus for orienting cylindrical cans of the type having a greater length than diameter, a bottom on one end and an open opposite end, means for sorting-:-

line of rolling cans into groups having the open ends all directed the same way, comprising: a narrow central support bar slanting downwardly gently from its initial end for supporting said cans for rolling on their peripheries generally centrally between their ends, a pair of end support members on opposite sides of said bar and spaced above the level of said bar at said initial end and extending at a greater slope to lower ends at a level below said bar, the opposed inwardly directed edges of said members being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of said cans at said initial end and converging together toward said lower ends, and an edge supporting element merging with said bar at one end and slanting downwardly into convergence with said end support members, whereby the heavier bottom ends of each of the cans rolling on said central bar will be supported on said edge of one of said members and progressively guided thereby from a position with the axis of the can extending generally between said edges to a position with said axis normal to said edge, a chute leading to said initial end of said bar, and a relatively rapidly rotating wheel supported above said chute for frictionally engaging the peripheries of cans in said chute for imparting a rolling movement thereto at a predetermined rate of rotation.

4. In apparatus for orienting cylindrical cans of the type having a greater length than diameter, a bottom on one end and an open opposite end, means for sorting a line of rolling cans into groups having the open ends all directed the same way, comprising: a narrow central support bar slanting downwardly gently from its initial end for supporting said cans for rolling on their peripheries generally centrally between their ends, a pair of end support members on opposite sides of said bar and spaced above the level of said bar at said initial end and extending at a greater slope to lower ends at a level below said bar, the opposed inwardly directed edges of said members being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of said cans at said initial end and converging together toward said lower ends, an endge supporting element merging with said bar at one end and slanting downwardly into convergence with said end support members whereby the heavier bottom ends of each of the cans rolling on said central bar will be supported on said edge of one of said members and progressively guided thereby from a position with the axis of the can extending generally between said edges to a position with said axis normal to said edge, a chute leading to said initial end of said bar, and a relatively rapidly rotating wheel supported above said chute for frictionally engaging the peripheries of cans in said chute for imparting a rolling movement thereto at a predetermined rate of rotation, the portion of said chute adjacent said wheel being formed to an are about the axis of said wheel, and means yieldably urging said portion toward said wheel for insuring frictional engagement between said wheel and said cans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,200,244 Sears Oct. 3, 1916 1,773,646 Skov Aug. 19, 1930 1,886,896 Nelson Nov. 8, 1932 1,972,489 Rideout Sept. 4, 1934 2,671,550 Schultz Mar. 9, 1954 2,684,147 Holstebro July 20, 1954 2,708,022 Pettigrew May 10, 1955 2,775,334 Jeremiah Dec. 25, 1956 2,790,532 Albertoli Apr. 30, 1957 

